NBC SPORTS GROUP’S PRESS PASS – WHAT TO WATCH – SEPTEMBER 2-4, 2016

The “Press Pass” on NBC Sports Group Press Box is a quick overview of upcoming program information and highlights from the NBC Sports Group Communications team. For live streaming information on the NBC Sports app, Powered by Playmaker Media and Golf Channel’s Golf Live Extra powered by PlayMaker Media, click here.

NASCAR
NBC Sports gears up for a throwback weekend of racing from Darlington highlighted by the NASCAR Sprint Cup series Bojangles’ Southern 500 Sunday at 6 p.m. ET on NBC and the XFINITY Series race Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

Race day coverage kicks off with a revamped version of Blake Shelton’s NASCAR on NBC “Bringing Back the Sunshine” Open, full of racing moments spanning the track’s incredible history. Legendary NASCAR broadcasters Ken Squier and Ned Jarrett return to the booth, alongside Dale Jarrett, to call a portion of the race. Squier adds his voice to a special pre-race feature on the storied Raceway. Pre-race coverage also includes a special three car on-track preview of Darlington Raceway. In addition to Jeff Burton in the Toyota Camry on-track car, Kyle Petty will drive his father’s famed 1979 No. 43 Championship race car alongside Dale Jarrett in fellow Hall of Famer Benny Parsons’ No. 72 car.

Sunday’s race day coverage kicks off on NBCSN with NASCAR America at 5 p.m. ET. NBC’s coverage begins with Countdown to Green at 5:30 p.m. ET followed by race coverage at 6 p.m. ET. NASCAR Victory Lap at 11 p.m. ET wraps up the day.

Race announcer Rick Allen calls this weekend’s action alongside analysts Steve Letarte and Jeff Burton. Pre- and post-race coverage is handled by host Krista Voda, and analysts Kyle Petty and Dale Jarrett. Marty Snider, Mike Massaro, Dave Burns and Kelli Stavast report from pit road.Rutledge Wood, fresh off his journey to the Olympic Games in Rio, returns to bring viewers closer to the sights and sounds of the original paved superspeedway.

AVIVA PREMIERSHIP RUGBYNBC Sports Group begins its inaugural season of Aviva Premiership Rugby coverage this weekend.

NBC Sports’ Leigh Diffey will serve as the studio host for NBCSN’s Premiership Rugby coverage. He will be joined by analyst and former Premiership Rugby player Alex Corbisiero, who played seven combined seasons for London Irish and Northampton Saints.

Alastair Eykyn, Lawrence Dallaglio, and Ugo Monye will call the match featuring Saracens and Worcester on Saturday, while Nick Mullins, Dallaglio, and Austin Healey will have the call for Wasps vs. Exeter on Sunday.

INDYCAR GRAND PRIX AT THE GLENThe 2016 Verizon IndyCar Series heads to iconic Watkins Glen International this weekend with championship implications at stake, with just the season finale at Sonoma on Sept. 18 remaining on the schedule.

Coverage begins tomorrow at 11 a.m. ET on NBCSN with practice, followed by qualifying on Saturday evening at 6 p.m. ET. Pre-race coverage on Sunday begins at 2 p.m. ET, followed by the Grand Prix at the Glen at 2:30 p.m. ET. NBCSN will also present the Indy Lights series on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.

FORMULA ONE ITALIAN GRAND PRIXF1 makes its annual trip to Monza this weekend for the Italian Grand Prix. Live Italian Grand Prix coverage begins Sunday morning at 7 a.m. ET on NBCSN with F1 Countdown, and is followed by F1 Extra at 10 a.m. ET.

Lead F1 announcer Leigh Diffey will call this weekend’s action, and will be joined by veteran analyst and former racecar driver David Hobbs, and analyst and former race mechanic for the Benetton F1 team Steve Matchett. F1 insider Will Buxton will serve as the team’s on-site reporter from Monza.

BEST OF MECUM MONTEREY AUCTIONNBC showcases the biggest highlights from Mecum Auctions’ iconic Monterey event with a one-hour special this Sunday at 2 p.m. ET on NBC.

Scott Hoke hosts NBC Sports Group’s Mecum Auctions coverage from Monterey, alongside analysts John Kraman, Stephen Cox, Bill Stephens, and Steve Matchett. Mecum Auctions is led by Dana Mecum, Founder and President of Mecum Auctions for the past 28 years.

2016 AVP CHAMPIONSHIPS
NBC Sports presents live coverage of the AVP Championships, the final AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour stop of the 2016 season, this Sunday, September 4, at 1 p.m. ET from Chicago, Ill.

BREEDERS’ CUPNBC Sports Group’s coverage of the Breeders’ Cup continues on Saturday, Sept. 3, at 5 p.m. ET on NBCSN at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. with the live telecast of the “Summer at Saratoga, Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series Win and Your In – Presented by Lane’s End Farm and America’s Best Racing.”

Laffit Pincay III hosts live coverage from Saratoga, and will be joined by analysts/handicappers Bob Neumeier and Eddie Olczyk, and reporter Donna Brothers. Daily Racing Form’s Matt Bernier will also serve as a handicapper, and Larry Collmus calls the race.

Coverage of the PGA Tour’s Deutsche Bank Championship on Golf Channel continues today at 2:30 p.m. ET and Saturday, and again at 1 p.m. ET on Monday. NBC will continue coverage of the Deutsche Bank Championship at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday.